Unfamiliar Family
by NyGi
Summary: Bill Weasley had mourned his siblings years ago, but when Voldemort is finally killed and his headquarters raided, people long thought dead are returned to their families. When no one wants or is able to tell Bill what happened, he decides to solve that mystery by himself. - my take at the old 'Voldemort wasn't stopped in 81' idea. Some pretty dark themes, but nothing explicit.
1. Return

_Hi! This is based on an old fanfiction I wrote ages ago. It will have some pretty dark themes, mentions of torture and rape... Nothing graphic though. And don't worry, I will explain where exactly this went AU as this story goes along. I mean, if anyone is interested :)_

Chapter1

Return

Bill Weasley hadn't expected his day to go like this. Yesterday he had been working in Egypt, feeling both guilty and lucky not to be anywhere near Britain. Then the news had hit. Voldemort was gone. Probably dead. And the Snake Pit, the fabled, horrifying hub of everything they feared, had fallen. They had been celebrating happily, him and his colleagues, when his mother's message had found him several hours later. Ron and Ginny had been found during the raid of the Snake Pit. Bill had felt like his world had collapsed around him. Ron and Ginny. He had thought them dead. They all had. Taken too soon in a war not yet supposed to be theirs. They had mourned them, like they had Dad. And then, years later, Charlie. Bill fiddled with his dragon claw earring. Charlie's last gift to him.

When Charlie had died, Bill had hoped for something, anything to make it not true. There had been no miracle for them. And now? He had taken one of the first hurriedly organized portkeys back to England and gotten into the queue outside St. Mungo's.

There were news of people long thought dead and lost found within the dungeons of Voldemort's headquarter. Now here they all were, hoping to get news of their lost relatives. Bill was one of the lucky ones, he knew his family was there and got ushered towards a different line. Still, it took hours to process him. Finally he was let through and given directions. But no one could or would tell him anything. Where were they sending him? In what condition were his siblings? They had both been in captivity for over two years…

Bill was making his way through what looked like an endless supply of people, hurrying up when he spotted Percy's red head. He was standing next to the twins and a tall, blonde woman Bill had never seen but assumed to be Carol, Percy's girlfriend. George spotted him first and hugged him tightly, Bill held on longer than he had originally planned, simply needing a moment of his brother's comfort. They all looked tired and worn. And simultaneously happier than Bill had ever seen them.

He was gone. Voldemort was gone. It was still too good to be true. Ron and Ginny were alive. Alive. But probably not well.

"What can you tell me?", he asked after hugs and introductions.

'Don't expect too much', he tried to tell himself, but hope had already taken hold in his heart.

"We have seen Ron. He is much better than we thought. They put him in a room with Neville. The healers are in there right now, so we were asked to wait outside." , Fred told him quietly. Bill turned, seeing Alice and Augusta Longbottom a few meters behind them. They waved at him, looking ecstatic. Neville was their only child and grandchild. Bill wondered if getting Neville back was more of a miracle to them, than it was to the Weasleys, who were getting back two kids.

"And Ginny?", Bill dared to ask.

Their faces darkened.

"We haven't seen Ginny yet. Your Mum is with her.", Carol informed him, as none of his brothers made an attempt to answer.

"They found about 50 women and girls.", George told him, confirming Bill's dark suspicions, "Which is why finding Ron and Neville was so unexpected."

The door opened in front of them. A smiling healer ushered them in. "All good.", he told them. And the Longbottoms followed close behind them. Ron and Neville were both sitting up in their beds, smiling at them. Ron's face lit up, when he saw his oldest brother. Bill hurried over and hugged him tightly.

"The healers say, we are fine.", Ron informed them. Bill really wanted to ask more. Why? Why and how were the two of them alive?

"Has Mum been to see you?", he asked instead.

"Yeah, for a bit. She's with Ginny now.", Ron's eyes darkened. Again, Bill really wanted to ask, but didn't dare to.

"I can come home tomorrow.", Ron told him instead, "They want to keep me overnight. And ask some questions. Then we can both go."

That seemed strange to Bill. He assumed the investigators would have more than "some questions".

They talked for a bit. About normal things. No one dared to ask Ron about the last two years and Ron wasn't offering up any information.

"Ron", George finally dared to ask what was on all of their minds, "Do you know what happened to Ginny?"

Ron clamped his mouth shut, his eyes turned away from them. Bill turned to follow his little brother's line of sight. He was staring at Neville, who was looking back just as stone-faced. A chill ran down Bill's back, as Ron answered in a monotone voice: "No. We don't know anything."

"Ron…", George tried again.

"I am really tired. I need a little bit of sleep.", Ron told them, immediately lying down and pulling up his covers. Bill felt like Ron had slapped him.

"I am really tired, too.", he could hear Neville telling his mother and grandmother, albeit much softer and warmer than Ron, "Maybe come back tomorrow, yes? We can talk some more then. Once I am home."

Before Bill had really processed the whole thing, he was ushered outside by the smiling healer.

"They both need some time.", Alice Longbottom told them, appearing to be trying to convince herself, "We can't even begin to imagine."

"They are hiding something.", Percy muttered.

"Maybe they just want to protect you from the truth.", Carol tried.

"Or themselves.", Augusta Longbottom replied gloomily.

"What are you saying?!", Percy sounded honestly offended on their brother's behalf.

Mrs Longbottom looked at Percy with something akin to pity on her face, but chose not to answer, instead forcefully taking her daughter-in-law's arm and pulling her away.

The remaining Weasleys were looking at each other uncomfortably.

"Maybe we should go to Ginny's room?", Carol tried, but Fred shook his head.

"They won't let us in anyway and we've been here for ages. Let's go and get something to eat first."

"I am not hungry.", Bill interjected and had them explain the way. Closed ward. That didn't bode well.

He had to go through two more security checks before finally being admitted. The ministry was taking great care not let anyone unauthorized see the women and girls rescued in the past hours.

He found Ginny's room and set down in front of it, ready to wait for his mother to come out at some point. He must have dozed off for a bit and woke to his mother's loud voice coming through the closed door: "Absolutely not!"

There was a mumbled response Bill didn't get, then his mother again: "No one is taking the child away from her mother! No one!"

Bill's eyes widened in horror, when his mother's words finally registered. He got up in a hurry and pushed the door open without knocking.

The first thing he noticed was his mother, hands on hips and angrily glaring at two men Bill recognized as Law Enforcement. They looked annoyed, but not much else.

"Mrs Weasley…", one of them tried again, completely ignoring Bill's arrival. The small form on the bed behind his mother did not.

Ginny was sitting at the end of the bed, pressed to the far wall, as if trying to get as far away from the two men as possible. Her red hair was cut into a short, chin length bob and she was clad in hospital robes. There were dark circles under her tired looking eyes, but she was looking at him with a calculating gaze. Something moved and Bill finally saw the small child Ginny was clutching tightly. Or more accurately: Bill saw a wild mob of black curls. The child's face was buried into Ginny's chest, who kept gently stroking her back.

"What's going on?", Bill asked, keeping his voice calm.

"They are trying to take the little girl away from her mother.", his Mum huffed, "And that is not happening. Hello dear."

"Mrs Weasley, we have talked about this. The child is at least three years old. She is too old to be Ginevra's child.", the man's annoyance was seeping from every word. Bill gave a sigh of relief. Not Ginny's. Not Ginny's. He repeated over and over in his mind.

"Kyra. Her name is Kyra. And she is mine.", Ginny's voice was soft, almost inaudible. Soft and scared.

"Miss Weasley, she could stay with you during the testing, but we need to take her in now. Find out, if she has family. We can't just…"

"I am her family.", Ginny told them with a note of desperation. The child moved her head slightly, Bill could see one bright blue eye looking up at him in fear.

Kyra, Bill thought, her name is Kyra.

"You can't just take her away.", Bill chipped in, "I want to talk to your superior and hear his reasons."

"It's standard procedure."

"Nothing about this is standard anything.", his Mum hissed.

The door behind Bill opened again. An older man in robes identifying him as a healer entered, looking concerned.

"What is going on here? This is no place for arguments."

"We came for the child."

"No. You did not.", the healer determined, "I will not have my patient stressed by the forceful removal of her daughter. Please leave. I have not cleared Miss Weasley for questioning."

"The child is not her daughter!", now the man was shouting.

The healer didn't even dignify that with a response. Instead he walked over to Ginny's bed and smiled at her, pulling a little stuffed dragon out of his robes.

"Nelly here belonged to my granddaughter. I thought you might like to have her.", he softly told little Kyra, who still wasn't looking at him.

"Kyra, it's okay.", Ginny told her softly.

Carefully little Kyra loosened her grip on Ginny and turned around. Her eyes found the two strange men. Immediately she turned away again. The healer sighed, placing the toy back in his robes.

"You really need to go now. Leave your names with reception. I will get in touch."

Bill expected Law Enforcement to put up more of a fight, but they both just walked out without even saying goodbye.

"They are busy enough as it is.", he explained and turned his attention back to Ginny and Kyra, "They won't be back for a while."

"Thank you, Healer Kremer.", his Mum shook the man's hand in gratitude.

He smiled at her in response and held the stuffed dragon out towards Kyra again. This time she did fully turn around and carefully took it, holding it close to her chest. She had a round, pale little face, her eyes looked a little too big for it and their deep blue colour was striking.

"Thank you.", Ginny told him, when Kyra smiled widely.

Little Kyra seemed to feel safe enough now to let go of Ginny fully, happily smiling at the dragon. As she carefully scooted away from Ginny to sit on the bed and play, Bill finally got a good look at his previously lost little sister.

He let out an audible gasp. His mother shot him a disapproving stare.

Kyra might be too old to be Ginny's biological daughter, but judging by Ginny's protruding belly, he would be a biological uncle soon, too.


	2. Boxes

**Chapter 2**

 **Boxes**

Bill had been convinced Ginny would have to stay at the hospital much longer than Ron, but it turned out they were busy and overdrawn. So like with Ron, they were told to come back in the morning. The Snake Pit was still being searched. They would need the beds. Ginny and Kyra could come to the Burrow. Law Enforcement would be by to talk to them. Healer Kremer had quietly told them that Ginny was physically fine. She would need sleep, but other than that… mentally, he said, they would have to wait and see.

In a kind of stupor they all made their way back to their own homes, Bill being the only one to return to the Burrow with his mother. Normally she would have spend hours asking him about every little detail of his life, but they were both too overwhelmed. Bill, totally exhausted, found the bed in his old room and fell right into it.

He woke hours later to the soft noise of something moving beneath him. Carefully he made his way downstairs to find his mother in the twins' old bedroom, rummaging through open drawers and the wardrobe.

"Mum? What are you doing?"

"Getting rid of some things and packing up the others."

"Okay… but why?"

"Because Ginny will need a room."

"But Ginny has a room…", Bill tried carefully. The Burrow was sad like that. Ron's and Ginny's rooms had been left the way they were. And Bill generally left Charlie's things alone, too.

"Of course. But she won't be able to use it. It's by itself. I doubt Kyra will want to be too far away from… from her mother…", his Mum stopped, breathing heavily, "And she is going to have a baby, too. So at some point Kyra will have to move up to make room for the nursery. I don't know. Maybe we should simply give Ginny the master bedroom. I can move down and…"

"Mum, maybe we should not do that tonight."

"No! We will HAVE to do this tonight. Ron's room, too. Maybe he should…"

"Mum.", Bill tried again, "Ron has a room and no child to keep close. He will probably be thankful for a bit of normality. Ginny, too. Let them have their rooms back."

"This is not NORMAL!", his mother's voice became sharp, "They will hate it. They will hate being back here. It will remind them of what happened. We cannot just leave it like this!"

She stopped and Bill walked over to hug her, as she started to cry in his arms.

"It will be okay, Mum. Just… let them come here tomorrow and then decide for themselves, okay?"

"Yes.", she sniffled after a bit, letting go of Bill and trying to put on a strong face, "But I will clean this out just in case. And tomorrow morning I will need you to go up in the attic and get your old children's bed for Kyra. I can't sleep now anyway."

Neither could Bill. Not when he knew his mother was down here, alone with her dark thoughts. So instead he got to work. They packed up boxes of old parchment for the twins to sort through themselves and then did the same with the clothes and books. At some point they moved on to Percy's room next door and did the same.

After hours of work Bill finally found the strength to ask his mother what has been on his mind for hours: "Mum, do you know what happened?"

"With what, dear?", she asked, her gaze distractedly looking at Percy's old Headboy Badge.

"Ginny. Do you know… who…"

"No.", his mother told him sharply, "She didn't talk about that and… I didn't ask and neither will you."

"Of course I won't, Mum."

"Good. It doesn't matter anyway. She is coming home. She is alive. So is Ron. We have been so lucky, Bill. It's all I need to know."

Bill nodded. He knew where his mother was coming from, but still he didn't know if he would be able to let it go.

"All we heard was that You-Know-Who was dead. News reached us… well, sparsely. What happened, Mum?"

"He was killed.", she informed him, "The Order…. Well, we are still trying to find out what exactly happened, but it looks planned."

"Who ever did it, I hope they'll give him every award known to men.", Bill smiled at her, but his mother didn't smile back.

"No, I don't think so. I can't believe you haven't heard this. It was Harry Potter. He surrendered to the Aurors. They took him straight to Azkaban."

"Harry Potter?", Bill was staring at her with wide eyes. Harry Potter, almost as hated and feared as Voldemort himself. His favourite assassin. His right-hand man. His adopted son.

"Why would he… I mean… that doesn't make any sense. At all."

"I don't know, either. Believe me. It's all so strange."

"How are the Potters doing then?"

His Mum sighed again.

"I spoke to Lily last month, that's it. They have been really withdrawn since

… never mind. Once everything is settled a bit, I will visit her. I know this isn't easy for them."

Bill snorted in disbelief.

"He is their son, Bill. They lost him, too. Thought him dead. They are good people."

"I know." Bill admitted guiltily. He actually liked Lily and James, although he has never really had anything to do with their children. But he knew Tonks… well, Mrs Lupin now, from school and had got to know them all through the Order and his parents.

"Healer Kremer told me it was actually Sirius, who brought Ginny and Kyra in. I will have to thank him later. He is a member of the team combing through the Snake Pit.", she shuddered and Bill did the same. It didn't sound like a great thing, really, "I wonder sometimes… how did we get here? How did we come to this?"

"I don't know.", Bill admitted, "I never knew anything else."

His mother gave him a sad smile and they continued until the early hours of the morning.

After a couple of hours of sleep, mother and son made their way back to St. Mungo's.

The others had offered to come as well, but their Mum has refused. She and Bill had decided on giving Ron, Ginny and Kyra time to adjust first. If everything went well, the others would come by for dinner the day after.

They were a bit later than expected when they arrived and decided to split up. Bill hurried over to Ron's room, only to find Ron and the Longbottoms sitting in front of it.

"Oh, I am so sorry, Ron, all that security."

"Don't worry about it.", Ron told him. He already looked better, Bill thought. Maybe a good night sleep and a whole lot of potions would do that to you. Ron and Neville looked at each other. They looked… sad, Bill realized, sorry to part. They hugged, before the Longbottoms made their way towards the exit.

"We will have to wait.", Bill told Ron. He felt awkward. What was he supposes to say to Ron now? He was scared of saying the wrong thing. Scared of letting the awkwardness seep in.

"I will be good to leave the Burrow, right? ", Ron asked suddenly and Bill turned around to look at him in shock.

"Leave?", he asked dumbfounded.

"Yeah. It will be weird not to see Neville every day."

"You saw him every day?", Bill asked, unable to forget Augusta Longbottom's pitying gaze from the day before.

"We were together at Hogwarts all the time. And then together in a cell for…", Ron stopped, a small crease on his forehead, "What day is it?"

"3rd of June.", Bill told him, trying to hide the pity in his voice. Then he added "2000", just to be on the safe side.

"Oh.", Ron shrugged, "I am 20."

Bill was spared from commenting on that chilling declaration by the arrival of their mother, carrying little Kyra. The girl was clutching… Nelly, her new dragon, and looked around suspiciously.

Bill noticed Ron turning around, his gaze zooming in on the child. For a second there Bill thought he could spot something dark in Ron's face, before his smile returned. Not for long, though. It vanished completely, when they spotted Ginny. She was walking behind their mother, her face half hidden by the hood of her dark, green coat. Bill could see Ron's gaze shift to her visible belly and Ginny stopped right in her tracks.

"Ron?", she whispered, her voice still far too soft for the spunky girl Bill remembered.

Ron had passed Bill long before he could even blink and hugged Ginny with such force, Bill worried a bit for the child pressed in between them. But Ginny and Ron just stood there, holding each other. Mumbling softly, but Bill couldn't make out the words. Their Mum sniffled a little next to them, shifting Kyra in her arms. Bill realized that the girl was probably quite heavy in his mother's arms.

"Mum?", he asked, "I can carry Kyra, if you like."

His mother smiled thankfully at him, but Kyra had obviously understood him just fine and she didn't seem that happy, starting to squirm instead, until his Mum actually let her down.

Kyra hurried towards Ginny, shooting Ron, who was still hugging her, a weary look. Her bright blue eyes turned back to study Bill and his Mum, before falling down to her knees and crawling under Ginny's cloak.

That finally separated Ron and Ginny.

"Kyra, honey, it's okay. No need to worry.", Ginny assured the lump that was Kyra. Only when Kyra's small head peeked out again, did Bill realize that she hadn't uttered a single word yet. That was… odd. A three year old was supposed to talk. A lot. He had enough younger siblings to realize that. And remembered it even better.

Ginny looked torn. She obviously wanted to pick her little girl up, but knew she probably shouldn't. Bill made a split-second decision and crouched down in front of Ginny.

"Hi Kyra, we met yesterday, remember?"

This earned him a careful look and then, thankfully, a soft nod.

"I am your Uncle Bill, your Mum's brother. It is very nice to really meet you."

Kyra looked up at Ginny, who smiled at her and nodded.

"If it's okay with you, I'd like to carry you. I think you are going to find that I have very comfortable arms."

Kyra just looked at him again, before she crawled out under Ginny's cloak and opened her arms, still clutching Nelly in her left hand.

Bill carefully picked her up and then got up himself. His mother was positively beaming at him and Ron, who had stayed silent the whole time, took Ginny's hand as they walked out together.


	3. The Burrow

**Chapter 3**

 **The Burrow**

They reached the Burrow via the Floo. Bill and Kyra going through first and his Mum last.

They stood in front of the fireplace, looking at each other awkwardly.

"Are you hungry?"

"No. Thanks, Mum.", Ron smiled at her.

"We left your rooms… I don't know if you'd… well."

"Yeah.", Ron declared, "I will go and take a look. Maybe lay down for a bit…"

"Of course!", Mum smiled, "I'll take you. New linens, too. Will you be alright?"

"Sure.", Bill told her, but he honestly wasn't too sure. Ginny was still looking around, her hood still half covering her face. Kyra meanwhile seemed content in his arms, her head resting on his shoulder, her little hands holding Nelly tightly. Bill found himself reflexively pressing a kiss to the child's head, swaying slightly.

Strange, he thought, how he had apparently already decided that she was part of his family now. Ginny meanwhile was looking at some of the pictures around. There wasn't a single one taken after her abduction, Bill realized.

"How are Percy, Fred and George?", Ginny asked and Bill remembered that she hadn't seen them yet.

"They are doing great. Percy… well, he still works for the ministry and has a new girlfriend now. Carol. George is dating Angelina Johnson."

Ginny nodded, "I like her. She's nice."

"They'll be over for dinner tomorrow, if you are fine with that."

"Yeah. I would like that. Tomorrow sounds nice."

"We thought you might like to settle in today."

Ginny nodded, finally pulling down her hood.

"Do you know where… Kyra and I will need to sleep somewhere."

"Of course!", Bill smiled, remembering Ron's reaction, "Come on, we'll walk to your room."

When they reached the room, Bill walked in, expecting Ginny to follow. She didn't though. Instead standing at the door and looking inside, her face unreadable.

"You don't have to stay here.", Bill tried and she looked at him, her face hopeful, "Mum and I cleared out the rooms upstairs. You and Kyra would be on the same floor. I brought the little bed down."

It was the first time Bill saw her smile.

"Do we want to go and look, little angel?", Ginny asked Kyra, who looked a little sceptical, Bill thought.

They looked at Kyra's room first. Bill had not only put a bed in, but also found some of their old toys and Kyra squirmed happily, until Bill put her down. She ran over to a box of little toy animals and laughed loudly. Bill wondered, if it was the first sound he had ever heard her make.

Ginny sighed happily. They left Kyra to play by herself, telling her they were just going next door. Ginny sank down on the bed.

"You think it will do?", Bill tried to joke.

"Yeah.", Ginny replied and then smiled again, "It's good to be home, Bill."

"It's good to have you home."

"Do you… do you know what will happen next?"

"Other than you and Kyra living here, being happy and healthy and waiting for my new niece or nephew to arrive and then be happy with one more person to spoil?"

"Thank you, Bill.", she smiled.

"Ginny… I want you to know that, well… we'll listen, if you want us to."

"There is nothing to say.", she told him, but Bill hadn't expected anything else.

"I'll go and play with Kyra for a bit, if that's okay.", she didn't wait for his response, instead hurrying past him and into the other room.

Bill looked after her for a whole minute, before he made his way downstairs and decided tea sounded like a good option.

His Mum was already there, sipping on a cup of tea herself, offering one to him. He took it thankfully and sat down.

"That went alright.", Mum said, taking another sip.

"It's a good thing you didn't listen to me. Ginny was so happy with the other room. And Kyra seems really happy with the toys."

"It's going to be a challenge to figure it all out. We don't even… we don't know much. I was just sitting here wondering if Kyra had toys before? If she and Ginny slept in one room? If she had ever even left the Snake Pit?"

"I doubt it. The leaving part, I mean.", Bill admitted. He hadn't had it in him to think about these things yet. One step at a time, he thought.

"I was a bit worried about Ginny and Ron, but they were happy to see each other."

"Why were you worried?", Bill asked, his brow creased in confusion.

"Because of what happened back when Ginny was… oh, it doesn't matter. It was a long time ago."

"Mum. Please tell me."

She sighed and took another sip of her tea, "We were sitting at dinner together and… well, Ron and Ginny got into a fight. She ran out. Wanted to go and see Luna…"

"Which was when they took her."

"Yes."

"Oh Mum, I'm so sorry."

"They are both home now."

"Mum, what's going to happen now? Ginny just asked me and I don't know. They wanted to take Kyra away… that won't happen, right?"

"No! It's all so much of a mess now, but no, no one will take Kyra. As far as I understood from the paper this morning, she is by far not the only child found there. Everyone is trying to figure this out. I am sure we will know more soon. There are so many things to think about. I read this morning that they want to start with the trials in a month. They might want to know from Ginny then, so they know who… well, that's a problem for another day."

Bill felt anger well up inside him. He had forced himself not to think about that. About WHO had done this to his little sister. But Ginny might have to speak at his trial. He shivered. His mind going back to the Death Eaters he knew about. He felt sick at the idea.

"I'll go and check on them.", Bill declared. He couldn't say why, but he needed to make sure Ginny was still there.

He made his way quietly upstairs, just in case Ginny had decided to lay down as well, only to hear his sister's soft voice coming from Kyra's room: "See? It's nice here. You have toys again. And tomorrow we'll go out and play a little."

"I miss Daddy."

Bill inhaled sharply, but Ginny continued.

"I know, little Angel. But we are safe now."

Bill was torn. He didn't want to spy on Ginny, but at the same time…

He knocked at the door and stepped in. Ginny was sitting cross legged on the floor, Kyra was sitting nuzzled into her side. She had a book open on her lap and smiled at him.

"Tea?", he asked, unable to come up with a better reason as to why he had come up to see them.

"Oh yes.", Ginny agreed and held out her hands so Bill could help pull her to her feet. She took Kyra's hand, who had fallen silent again, and they carefully made their way downstairs.

As Bill walked slowly behind them, he decided for himself that Ginny wouldn't have to talk, he understood if she didn't. But he would find another way to find the truth.


	4. Dinner

Hola! I am updating this while on holiday, so for the first time ever on my tablet. I hope it looks alright

Chapter 4

Dinner

Bill found Ginny and Ron outside early the next morning, sitting on chairs, teas in hand and watching Kyra chase the chickens through the yard. The little girl was laughing loudly, her arms outstretched and trying to grab one of the terrified creatures.

Bill laughed as well, when he saw his delighted niece manage to touch one of the chickens. Shocked by her success, she just stopped wide eyed and let the chicken run away, before running after it again.

"We should probably tell her not to scare the chickens.", Ron told him, grinning widely, "But it's a bit too much fun for that."

"Agreed."

Bill sat down on the steps and smiled when he saw Ron holding Nelly.

"She really loves that dragon."

"Yes. It was a big thing that she trusted Ron with her safekeeping.", Ginny agreed, already looking much more relaxed than the day before.

"I am honoured and shall defend the little dragon with my life.", Ron deadpanned.

Bill laughed. Seeing them like this, relaxed and laughing a little, he honestly believed that maybe they'd all be alright.

"Do you think she will get bored at some point?", Ron asked.

"No.", Bill and Ginny answered together.

They were still sitting in comfortable silence when Kyra did give up about an hour later. Bill really admired her attention span. Impressive for a girl her age.

"How old is she exactly?", Bill asked and regretting it instantly. Was he allowed to ask that?

"Almost four.", Ginny replied, "Her birthday is the 4th of August."

Four. She was born right before Ginny's fifteenth birthday. Ginny wasn't even 19 yet. Four… She should be talking a lot more then, but after what Bill had heard yesterday, he assumed she was just not comfortable around people.

As if to prove Bill wrong, Kyra walked over to them and said: "Uncle Ron, may I have Nelly back."

"Yes, you may.", Ron told her seriously and Kyra looked at Ginny, then she looked over at Ron and finally Bill. Her face scrunched up thoughtfully.

"What's wrong, Angel."

"You are too big now.", Kyra told Ginny bluntly and Ron laughed, "Uncle Bill, can I sit?"

"Of course.", Bill agreed and opened his arms so Kyra could climb on his lap.

"Were the chickens too fast for you?", Ron asked her.

"They are fast. Now I am tired."

"Maybe you'll feel better after breakfast. See the smoke? It looks like Grandma will feed us all soon.", Bill pointed upwards.

"If you eat everything Grandma gives you, you will just get more tired.", Ron told her.

Kyra gasped.

"But a nice kind of tired.", Ginny hurried, "The one where you just sit down on a couch and have someone read something to you."

"Ohhhhhhh, we will all read something together?", Kyra's voice was hopeful.

"Sure we will.", Bill laughed, "We'll find something nice."

"Good morning, Weasleys.", Mum stood behind them as of on cue, using one of Dad's favourite greetings, "Everyone go clean their hands and then come for breakfast."

"But Muuuuum.", Ron whined and they all laughed again.

"Clean hands, Uncle Ron.", Kyra declared, jumped off Bill's lap and took Ron's hand. They vanished inside.

"Wow. That's quite the difference to yesterday.", Bill smiled at Ginny.

"She was just scared and tired. She doesn't understand. How could she?", Ginny's face turned sad.

"Ginny…", he started, ready to ask about what he had overheard the day before, but in the end he couldn't get himself to do it, "Let's go and wash our hands, too. Be a good example."

Breakfast was a rather joyous affair and Bill was sure he had never seen his mother so happy before. Heaving food on their plates and listening intently when Kyra told her how she had touched one of the chickens.

"If you get up early tomorrow, we can go and get the eggs together.", Mum told her, "If you are really careful and quiet then, I am sure you can touch more chickens."

Kyra's eyes burned with excitement.

Bill jumped up when the owl arrived, delivering the Daily Prophet.

Late, he thought, as he quickly paid for the paper, really late.

"Oh.", Ginny sighed, when her eyes fell on the paper. Bill followed her gaze and froze. There was a list of names on the cover. Alphabetical order. Bill skimmed down, only to find Weasley, Ronald and Weasley, Ginevra right at the bottom of the list.

"What does it say?", Ron asked, his voice sounding strained.

Bill was sure he had never before read so quickly.

"A list of everyone found. And then it says 'several children', but they are not giving names."

"Good.", his Mum grumbled, but Ginny still looked spooked, "What do you think of Shepherd's pie for tonight?"

Smooth, Bill thought, really smooth.

"Good idea, Mum!", Ron grinned.

"That means someone will have to go and get potatoes from the garden."

Ron's grin vanished and Bill laughed out loud. It was… like it used to be.

"I'll go.", he declared, "Kyra can help me collect them."

He remembered when Ginny had been her age, happy to help out her brother and have an opportunity to get her hands REALLY dirty.

Kyra nodded enthusiastically and the paper seemed forgotten for now.

After breakfast they did indeed all sit down and listened to Bill read a story from the tales of Beedle the Bard, before Ginny declared her back was hurting and she needed to lay down and Ron and Bill took Kyra outside to get potatoes.

The rest of the day was spend with helping Mum, relaxing on various chairs and watching Kyra and her boundless energy running around.

Bill had found himself thinking that the poor girl probably hadn't spend too much time running outside. If any. And now she took that opportunity as fast as her little feet would carry her.

The three of them were still outside, when Percy was the first to arrive. Bill, who had thought Kyra's shyness might have been a temporary thing, was shocked to find Kyra hiding behind him.

Good to know, he thought.

"Hello, Percy.", Ron smiled, "It's good to see you."

Percy, who was normally much more composed than his siblings, almost ran forward and hugged Ron violently.

"Kyra? How about we go inside and let Uncle Ron and Uncle Percy say hi?"

"Uncle Percy?", she asked, "Mummy's brother."

"Exactly. She told you he was coming today?"

"No."; Kyra smiled, "But she talks about all her brothers."

He was ready to go inside, when Percy let go of Ron and turned towards Bill and Kyra. The two brothers smiled at each other before Percy crouched down and said: "Hi! You must be Kyra. Grandma has already told me quite a lot about you. I am your Uncle Percy."

"Hi."

"I didn't know what you'd like, but I brought something.", and very carefully he pulled a chocolate frog from his pocket and handed it to Kyra, who squealed happily and pressed the chocolate to her chest.

"Thank you, Uncle Percy."

"And I don't get chocolate?", Ron asked, his voice still heavy.

"Of course you do, little brother."

Bill laughed out loud, when Percy pulled out another pack and threw it at Ron.

"I have one for Ginny, too, of course. For everyone, actually. We can all have one."

"Not before dinner, I hope. Or Mum will throw a fit."

Ginny was standing behind them, her hands clutching a teatowel and looking at Percy with an unreadable expression. Bill saw Percy's gaze move down to Ginny's belly. Ginny instinctively took a step back, but Percy moved closer and hugged her, although much more carefully than Ron. Bill understood that instinct. He had always been very careful with their mother, too, when she had been pregnant. Bill was sure that he could hear sobs coming from Percy, so he tried to give them some privacy. He saw Ron holding his frog, hurriedly pointing at Kyra, who grinned at him and skillfully opened her chocolate frog and bid its head off as Ron did the same, before Ginny could see or stop them.

Bill shook his head at the two, but smiled anyway. They looked… good.

In a flurry of arms and clothes they made their way inside the kitchen. Percy explained he was early since he decided to take the afternoon off, afraid he might not make it out of the ministry otherwise in time.

"How are things at work then?", Bill asked.

"Chaotic. No one knows who is responsible for what. Crouch hoped for more information from Harry Potter, but he isn't talking. At all."

"What do you mean?", their Mum asked, sending a careful glance towards Ginny and Ron, but they didn't seem to listen. Kyra was loudly talking about her plan to catch more chickens tomorrow.

"Crouch is trying to keep it quiet, but it's… strange. He just walked in there. Through the visitor entry."

"What?"

"Yes. No one even knew You Know Who was dead yet and he just… walked into the ministry. When people recognized him, he raised his hands and sank to his knees. He never even said a word. And when they searched him, they didn't find a wand. They took him to Azkaban and still: He hasn't said a SINGLE word."

"His poor parents.", their Mum sighed. Bill grumbled. Yes, it was sad, but there were a lot of families who had it worse. Like theirs, for example. At least the members of the Potter Family were alive.

"What is going to happen to him now?", Bill asked darkly.

"There will be a trial. The very first one, actually. Two weeks from today. Crouch hopes he might talk then."

"Doubtful.", they all turned around, when they heard Ron's voice.

"Why?", Percy asked, a worried frown on his face.

"I went to school with the guy, remember? He is one stubborn bastard."

"Could you not use that word in front of Kyra, please?", Ginny hissed and got up, "Come on, little Angel, we'll read another story."

They all waited until Ginny and Kyra had left the room, before Percy asked Ron quietly: "You were in different houses. I thought you didn't really know him."

"Doesn't mean I never spoke to him, does it? He hung out with Hermione Granger all the time. In the library mostly. But stubborn bastard (or bastard in general) springs to mind."

"Did you ever… see him at the Snake Pit?", Bill dared to ask, now that Ron was already talking.

"No. I hardly ever saw anybody.", Ron declared and got up abruptly, following Ginny upstairs.

"Has anyone been by to talk to him yet?", Percy asked.

"No.", their Mum looked at him in confusion, "They interrogated him at the hospital. He was good to go."

"They might be back. It's pretty likely, actually."

"Why?", Bill asked, already having a pretty good idea about the answer he would get.

"Because of all the people found, Ron and Neville are the only one's where… well… no one knows why."

"It doesn't matter why! As long as they are alive."

"I know that, Mum, and it was not what I meant. Honestly."

"'Ello!", called someone from behind them and they turned around to find Fred standing there, a bag of what Bill suspected to be sweets in hand. What was it with his brothers and sweets?

But Bill had to admit that he wasn't about to say no to some chocolate, either.

Fred greeted them all a little impatiently before asking where he could find "the rest of the family". Bravely he took off towards Kyra's room on his own.

"This is a hard day for everyone.", Mum sighed and started to set the table manually.

"But good.", Percy informed her, "Not just… well, I had seen Ron at the hospital, but him being home makes it so much more real. And Ginny… I don't think I honestly let myself believe it, before I saw her, either. It's so strange. All of it. She looks so… different."

Bill honestly couldn't say. He hated to admit it, but Ginny had been hardly more than a baby when he had left for Hogwarts and yes, he had seen her during school holidays, but he had moved far away after graduation. It was a sad reality that he had missed much in both Ron and Ginny's lifes. With the others he had had more time at home and at least some at school.

"George is late.", Mum changed the subject, "But dinner is ready now."

"Then we start without him.", Bill shrugged, "I doubt we'll finish it all anyway."

They finished setting the table and carrying the food over, before Percy volunteered to get the others.

"It's a bit strange that George is this late, right?", his Mum asked, looking at the door with worry. Old habits died hard.

"I am sure it's work or something.", Bill tried, but he was getting a little nervous as well.

Percy meanwhile made his way back into the room, followed by Fred, who was very proudly carrying Kyra.

"What is this?", Bill asked, mock affronted, "Who else is allowed to carry Kyra in this family?"

"Me. Obviously.", Fred declared.

"Don't worry, Bill, I am sure your arms are still the most comfortable.", Ginny tried to reassure him and gave him a soft pad on the arm.

"She is just saying that to make you feel better.", Fred informed him casually.

"Thank you, Fred."

"Anytime."

They were halfway through dinner, when George stumbled in, looking slightly windswept.

"Sorry for being late."

Bill frowned. His voice sounded… off.

"That's okay, dear. We had to start without you, though."

George just nodded at all of them, his gaze travelling down the table, until it reached Ginny, who got up in order to better greet him.

George walked around the table and hugged her, too, before he took a step back and looked at her.

Bill was starting to get a bad feeling about this.

"This is Kyra.", Percy informed George and gestured towards the little girl sitting between him and Fred. Kyra seemed to have given up on her shyness for now. Too many new people in one day, Bill suspected, and most of them with sweets for her.

"Hi.", George told her brusquely.

Bill was too taken aback to even react, Fred was not.

"George.", he warned sharply.

"What? I said hi, didn't I?"

"George, what is going on?", their mother asked, her voice alarmed.

"Nothing, I am here to have dinner with my family.", and George simply sat down on the one vacant chair.

The silence in the kitchen was deafening. Ginny was still standing, her eyes darting back and forth between Kyra and George. No one continued eating, except for George, who started to put food on his plate. And, Bill noticed to his relief, Kyra, who seemed to not pick up on the sudden strange mood.

Bill waited. Was someone going to say something or were they now all just going to sit there, pretending everything was normal?

To Bill's big surprise the one to finally speak up was Ron: "What the hell was that, man?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about.", George huffed.

"No idea what I am talking about.", Ron repeated, his voice flat and dark sounding.

Bill could feel their Mum next to him shift uncomfortably. This was not good.

"What exactly was expected of me? I said hi. What more do you want from me?"

"Kyra, how about we eat ourselves through the sweets Uncle George brought?", Ginny said loudly.

Kyra looked up at her, as if Ginny had grown a second head, but seemed to decide not to risk her Mum changing her mind, so she agreed happily and got up, looking a little confused when no one else did, but taking Ginny's hand nonetheless.

There was total silence again in the kitchen, until they couldn't hear their steps up the stairs anymore.

"George, that was no way of treating your niece.",Mum chastised, her voice low, "Did you have a hard day at work?"

"My niece? She is not my niece."

The words hung heavy between them. George's angry face, the resigned expression of Fred, Percy's shocked eyes. Bill couldn't see his Mum's face, but what he could see very well was Ron.

"Shut up."

"What did you just say?"

"I told you to shut up.", Ron repeated coldly, "And I will do it again."

"George", Percy tried,"It's not Kyra's fault that…"

But George didn't let him finish: "No. It's not her fault. But I won't sit here and lie. She is NOT my niece. She is NOT Ginny's child and she certainly doesn't belong here. She is the child of some rapist that Ginny was bullied into accepting as her own. Probably the child of some other poor girl that he raped to death, so hey: You Know Who simply gave him a new one."

"Shut the hell up, George! You know nothing, NOTHING about what happened, so you stop pretending that you do!", Ron was up on his feet now, his face red in anger, "You… you arrogant asshole. You have no right to talk about things you know absolutely NOTHING about!"

"George, I think you should leave."

Their mother's quiet voice stopped every fight, every argument right there. George turned around, staring at her wide-eyed.

"Mum…", he started, his voice suddenly small.

"I am sorry, George. I love you, you know I do and I will NEVER stop. But if this is your opinion then you can't be here right now. Ginny and Ron and, yes, Kyra are the members of this family that need our support the most right now. People will stare at Ginny. They will talk and point and snigger about Kyra and the baby, too, once it's here. And the one place in this world where they truly need to be safe is their home. So once you have calmed down and thought about the awful things you have just said, you are always welcome back in this house. But until then it is better for you to go."

George's shocked face was slowly turning red, they were all staring at their mother in shock. This… this wasn't her. She never… but then again, Bill thought, she was right.

He hadn't really thought about it too much, but just because Kyra's name had been nowhere within the paper yet, didn't mean people wouldn't figure out the truth at some point. That poor, poor girl and her unborn brother or sister would ALWAYS be singled out.

George ran out without another look at any of them. Ron was still shaking in anger, but sat back down when Percy took his arm and rubbed it, as if he was soothing a child.

"I am sorry, Mum.", Fred sighed, "I knew he was… angry, but I didn't think he would actually… the last couple of years were hard on him."

"They were hard on all of us.", Ron hissed and Fred flinched.

"Don't, Ron. It's not Fred's fault.", Bill finally spoke up.

"No. It's not. I am sorry, Fred."

"I know. It's okay. And understandable. He'll come around. Eventually."

"If this is what he truly thinks then he can stay gone.", Ron huffed and left the room. They could hear his angry steps up the stairs.

Their Mum got up and started to clear the table, her remaining three sons hurrying to help.

"Oh.", she sighed, her eyes landing on the dessert, "Well, we can eat it tomorrow."

"Why?", Bill asked, having a sudden idea. He took two of the bowls and gestured for Fred to take the dishes.

Together they all marched into Kyra's room and huddled together in a circle, eating chocolate pudding and listening to each of them reading in turn.


	5. Susan Bones

Hi! I know I've said it before, but this is not a happy story and I wanted to say it again, because there are some heavy scenes in this. Please don't read it, if this could trigger you in any way. I don't ever want to hurt someone.

 **Chapter 5**

 **Susan Bones**

Over the next week they settled into a strange routine. Healer Kremer came by once to check on his now three patients, but other than that they all spend their days with little, inconsequential-seeming things.

Kyra was an early riser and loved helping with the chickens in the morning. Ginny spend a lot of time reading or resting, when she wasn't playing and Ron and Bill had discovered the fun of long walks through the countryside as entertainment for their new niece. Climbing trees, trying to catch frogs and skipping stones on the nearby pond. It was the first time Bill really understood why some people enjoyed a quiet life in the countryside, although he knew he'd have to return to work sometime and he would enjoy that, too. But Gringotts had agreed on him taking family time for now and he was damn well going to use that to the fullest.

They walked by the Lovegoods on their fourth outing but no one was home. Ron seemed honestly disappointed and Mum told them later that Luna had started traveling after graduation and hadn't been back in a while.

They walked to the nearby Muggle village and Bill, who had always quite enjoyed a quick visit to the Muggle world, pulled a couple of bills from his jacket and treated the three of them to some ice cream. They talked a lot, too. When Kyra was running ahead and Ron felt like no one else was there. About how he and Neville had been captured. And how they had just been imprisoned, left to boredom for two years.

Bill strongly suspected there was a lot more to it, but he wouldn't press Ron for more information. He would wait. Fred came by for dinner twice and Percy send an owl with a new book for Kyra, saying he was too busy at work to stop by.

It was one week exactly after the disastrous dinner that their Mum had to leave the Burrow and go to London for some shopping. Bill had offered to come with her, but she didn't want to leave the younger members of the family alone. It was early, with Ron still asleep and Kyra and Ginny upstairs. Bill was meanwhile sitting outside on the steps again, finishing the paper.

No one had actively mentioned the news of the day, although they had big consequences for the Weasleys. It was official now. St. Mungo's had recommended not to force anyone to talk at the trials and not for children to be tested for paternity, if their caretakers didn't want it. Caretakers.

Bill expected an outrage from some of the parents, who had had daughters taken that had not been found, but the healers all agreed: the potential threat to the children was much more important.

There had been a collective sigh at the breakfast table, even from Ginny, who never mentioned anything about Kyra's parentage or if she wanted to speak at the trials or not.

They had all just skimmed it then, but now Bill decided to take the time and really read it carefully.

Caretaker.

"Hello? Mr Weasley?"

Bill almost threw the paper in the air, when someone suddenly spoke to him.

There was a young woman coming over the yard, pushing a double-pram. Her blonde hair was up in a small ponytail and she wore a simple dress, not immediately outing her as a witch or a muggle.

"Good morning.", he answered on instinct, when she reached him. Her face, serious but friendly broke into a small smile.

"Good morning.", she replied, "My name is Susan Bones. These are my kids, Nina and Tino."

Susan Bones. The name sounded familiar. Bill thought it was the polite thing to walk around the pram to greet her children. Nina, a girl of about two with black hair and brown eyes was looking at him skeptically.

"Hey Nina. Nice to meet you.", Bill tried. She just continued looking at him.

Tino didn't even look. He was fast asleep. Bill would have said he was three months old at the most.

"I was hoping I might be able to talk to Ginny."

Bill froze, his eyes returning to the two small children. THAT was where he knew her name from. She had been on the list.

"I honestly don't…", Bill started, but was interrupted.

"We are a group of women trying to talk to each other. For… support. For us. For our children."

Bill froze. Susan noticed his worried face and hurried to explain: "We talk to everybody. No matter if they have kids or not. In case you are worried I know about someone I shouldn't know about."

"Oh.", Bill sighed, "Sorry. Paranoia. Do come inside. I will look if Ginny has time."

"Or wants to talk to me at all.", Susan agreed.

They parked the pram and while Susan reached for Nina, Bill offered to carry the sleeping Tony.

Nina found Kyra's little play area in the living room and made a beeline for it. Bill left Susan and her son seated on the couch and hurried upstairs.

Ginny was sitting in a rocking chair, book in hand. Kyra was quietly playing with Nelly.

"Ginny? You have a visitor."

Ginny froze. Her eyes darted towards Kyra as if she was readying herself to flee.

"Her name is Susan Bones. She brought her kids…"

"Susan Bones?", Ginny asked, frowning.

"She was rescued. Like you. She told me some women are trying to… form a support group. Help each other out."

"No.", Ginny told him.

"But…"

"No. I don't want to see her."

"Ginny…"

"I told you: No."

"She brought her kids. Maybe for Kyra to play… Ginny, she understands."

"No one understands. And I don't want them to."

"Ginny…", he tried again and then stopped. Don't push her, their Mum had said, "Okay. I'll tell her."

"Thank you."

Bill made his way back down stairs. Susan didn't seem that surprised to see him return alone.

"It's fine.", she told him, before he could even say something, "Some want to, some don't and some will need more time. At least she knows we are here, if she needs us."

She got up, but Bill stopped her: "Please don't. Let me get us some tea. I have cookies, too."

She looked at him, then at her kids, Nina playing happily and Tino sleeping…

"Tea would be quite nice. Thank you, Mr Weasley."

"Bill. Please."

"Very well. I am Susan.", she shook his hand again and smiled carefully.

"We can sit outside, if you like. My brother Fred just rebuild our old swing set. Nina might like it."

"I am sure she will."

Five minutes later they were sitting in the back yard, sipping tea and watching Nina play. Little Tino was back in his pram, being rocked slightly by Susan's foot.

"Have you visited many people yet?", Bill asked, more than a little interested in how people generally reacted to Susan's proposal.

"We are four women. I have visited 9 so far. Four said yes. We will be meeting next week. I wanted to talk to Ron and Neville, too, but some of the women were really uncomfortable about men being there."

"How did you four find each other?"

She looked at him, as if calculating how much he really wanted to hear.

"We were part of a...family unit. Given to the same man, the four of us. Antonin Dolohov."

Bill almost dropped his tea.

"You didn't expect me to be this open about it."

"Honestly? No."

"I find it easier this way. Be open about it. But I have the support of my family and other women like me. That makes it easier. I… I have heard stories of women who had it worse. Antonin… for him it was a job. He was told to produce more pureblood children and so he did. Others have told me about men taking pleasure in hurting them. That, at least, I was spared. And I was the fourth woman in those quarters. I had help. People to tell me what to expect, how to behave. The worst thing for me is the children. They don't understand. They love their father and their father loves them. He didn't stay with us, but he came by every night. He read stories to the kids. He was their dad in every sense of the world. Tino is too small. Nina… Nina will forget. But the others? Agnes, one of the other women, her son is five. He asks every day when his daddy will be home. What do we say? What do we do?"

"I heard Kyra ask Ginny, too.", Bill admitted quietly.

"Kyra. Ginny's child?"

"Yes.", he told her, but he could see the understanding in Susan's eyes.

"I want to help. I really do. But I just don't know how.", it finally broke out of Bill. Why was he telling this total stranger something so personal? Because she had told him something, too, "Sometimes everything seems okay. Normal even. And then suddenly she just… it's like she flips a switch and I can't follow her anymore. I want to tell her that everything is going to be okay, but I can't know that. So I lie. And I hate myself for it."

Susan contemplated what he had said for a full minute, before she asked: "Was Ginny by herself? Do you know that?"

"I don't. She hasn't told us anything."

"She was 16, right? Like me... that's hard, Bill. It was the worst day of my life. I am doing okay, but I have people… I hope Ginny will accept our help. One day."

"What exactly…", but Bill stopped in the middle of his question. He had been so engrossed in Susan's story… in finally getting at least some answers… he hadn't thought about the fact that this was still not a very appropriate question.

Susan turned her gaze towards little Tino. The baby was making small unhappy noises. She picked him up, but he kept fuzzing.

"I should feed him in about 20 minutes.", Susan explained and Bill, ever the big brother, understood just what she meant by that.

"May I hold him? I don't smell like food."

Susan gave him a surprised look, before she carefully handed the small baby over. Bill leaned back in his chair and placed Tino on his chest, who buried his face in Bill's neck and fell back asleep.

"Thank you.", Susan smiled.

"Oh. You are actually doing me a favour. I always loved babies."

She sat back down. Watching Nina build little sand cakes with Kyra's toys, she said: "I don't know why I am telling you this, but I was taken on a Hogsmeade weekend. It was really… much less exciting than you'd expect."

"Susan! Hurry!", Hannah Abbott called loudly.

Susan groaned. She had twisted her ankle that morning and really, she should have gone and had Madame Turner take a look at it, but it wasn't too bad, if you walked carefully. And she had struggled to finish her homework in time to go to Hogsmeade anyway.

Already she was regretting her decision.

But she LOVED these trips. As a child, going out and just… shopping had been almost impossible. Attacks weren't THAT frequent, but the possibility was there. So people generally stayed as safe as possible.

Hogsmeade weekends were a blissful relief, once Susan became old enough. There had been an attack on Hogsmeade weekend a long time ago, before Susan had even been born and the 14 year old daughter of a Death Eater had died in the fray. After that, the students had been safe from attacks. They all cherished their little chance at freedom, before life and war would hit them all with full force. Not that they didn't know what that was like. Susan had lost family to the war, too many to even grief anymore. Letters with new losses came every day. Students didn't return from holidays, killed with their families. Taken while buying groceries. Death, war and loss had been a part of all their lives for as long as Susan could remember.

"Did you hear that?", Ernie asked, his face worried. He was walking next to her, while the others ran ahead.

She hadn't.

"No. What did you hear?"

"Probably nothing. Paranoia.", Ernie shrugged.

Susan didn't like it. She had learned to listen to her gut a long time ago.

"Ernie…", she started, but before she could finish, there was a loud bang to their right and Ernie pulled her down with him. Debris was flying everywhere. Susan's ears were ringing. The dust was heavy around them, Susan could hardly see.

"Ernie?", she tried to ask, but it was more coughing than anything else.

Slowly she turned towards Ernie and shook his shoulder. No response.

"Ernie?"

Her hand came back bloody.

"Ernie?"

Suddenly someone grabbed her from behind, pulling her to her feet.

"You need to move, girl."

"Thank you.", she sighed and turned around, only to not look into someone's face, but the dark shadows of a hood.

Susan flinched in horror, still dazed by the explosion she reached for her wand, but the Death Eater disarmed her with one swift flick of his wand.

"You won't be needing that anymore.", he said, pocketing her most treasured possession.

She wanted to fight. To scream. To do anything, really. But she never got the chance. He apparated them both away, before she could even breathe. She fell to the floor, when they reached their destination, her ankle finally giving out. With another crack, her abductor was gone again and she was left in complete darkness. Susan groaned lightly.

There was a soft whimper behind her.

"Is someone in here?", she asked, trying to hide the terror in her voice.

A soft sniffing then: "Yes. Did they take you, too?"

"Hi. My name is Susan. Who are you?"

"Abigail. Abby."

Oh Merlin, she sounded young.

"Abby, keep talking. I am crawling over to you."

"I… I don't know what to say. Susan? Are we going to die?"

"I don't know.", Susan admitted, "But they brought us here. So they might want something."

"I heard stories. Of torture. You think that's it?"

Not something Susan really felt like thinking about.

She reached Abby, leaning on a wall. Her legs pulled up in a gesture of protection. Susan crawled next to her, placing her arm around the girl.

"At least we are not alone.", Susan tried. Abby sniffed and leaned her head on Susan's shoulder. They sat in silence for what felt like hours, before a door at the other end of the small cell was pulled open and a big, burly man pointed his wand at them. He wasn't wearing a mask, so he wasn't a Death Eater. Just a regular asshole, as far as Susan was concerned.

"Move."

Susan didn't really feel like complying, her gaze wandered to Abby. She really was a small girl. Blonde and pretty, with big, terrified eyes.

"Move. Or I practice my Cruciatus on the little one."

Abby yelped and Susan managed to pull herself up, hissing in pain. Her ankle had only been damaged further in the attack.

Abby, shivering in fear, saw Susan's struggle and offered her an arm.

Together they made their slow way out of the cell and up the stairs. The Snake Pit. Susan thought she might be sick. She wasn't supposed to be here. This was not okay. This was not… no. The voice in her head kept shouting at her. No! No! No!

They headed for a big, black door flanked by two Death Eaters.

They let them past without even a question and they walked through an empty room, before they knocked on another door and entered what looked like an audience chamber more than an actual office. There were about ten masked people standing in front of a huge desk. And, Susan noticed in horror, three girls kneeling on the floor. One of them Susan recognized as a member of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team. She was the only one of the three not crying. Her eyes boldly fixed on the desk. The chair behind it was empty.

"You are late.", one of the Death Eaters growled.

"Apologies. One of the girls is injured.", their guide sounded more scared than Susan felt. Numb was more like it.

"Leave.", a surprisingly high voice sneered.

A woman, Susan realized in shock.

Once the five prisoners were alone with the Death Eaters, there was a collective shuffle. They all lifted their hoods and Abby made a squealing sound. Death Eaters stayed anonymous. No one ever saw their faces.

Part of her had known it all the time, but the moment Susan looked at the unmasked faces, she knew she'd never leave the Snake Pit alive again. Susan found the owner of the high voice from before. A petite woman in her mid-twenties. Blonde curls, blue eyes. Susan stared at her. She would have called her pretty, beautiful even. It was maybe the strangest thing she had seen that day. Somehow, somewhere in her mind she had childishly expected them all to be… as ugly on the outside, as they must be on the inside.

The door behind the desk opened and with the way the Death Eaters all bowed their heads Susan expected to see You Know Who himself. Instead she looked into the pale face of a young man probably not much older than herself. He had black hair, combed back, giving him a somewhat strict look and his mouth was sat into an almost bored expression. His arrogant gaze took them all in, before he sat down and turned towards one of the men. He was big, burly and middle-aged.

"Dolohov. You led this little… excursion. Status?"

"It went as planned, my lord.", Dolohov responded, "We killed at least one member of the order. Took these three girls."

"Mh. One. Well."

"But we lost no one ourselves. Not even of the underlings."

The unnamed lord didn't seem to care that much about Dolohov's nervous explanation, instead turning his gaze on the three still kneeling girls.

"Which one do you want?"

Susan stared at him in disbelief.

"What?!", she screeched.

Everyone looked at her, wide-eyed. Abby's hand dug into her arm.

No one spoke. At first.

"Her.", Dolohov said and Susan's head spun around to look at him.

"Interesting choice. What's your name, girl?"

Susan was too shocked, too terrified to even do anything but answer, "Susan Bones."

"Bones? Good choice, Dolohov. Do you want one of the others?"

"No, thank you, my lord."

"Then you may leave."

Dolohov nodded, walked over and took Susan's arm.

"No! No!", Susan shouted in horror, as Abby's hold on her other arm got painful, "No! Please!"

"No! Susan, don't leave me!", Abby cried and Susan in her panic, tried to hold on to the girl.

"Stop wailing.", the woman hissed and violently punched Abby in the face, who let go of Susan and fell to the floor in shock, holding her bleeding nose.

Susan was dragged out of the room by Dolohov, before she could even check if Abby was okay. Inside the first room, Dolohov put his hood back and place, turned towards her and said: "Can you walk by yourself?"

Susan just blinked at him.

"Can you walk?"

When she still didn't answer, he actually crouched down, lifted her foot and bandaged it with a quick tap of his wand, before taking her arm again and more or less dragging her through the deep, dark corridors of the Snake Pit.

They stopped in front of a simple wooden door. Dolohov tapped his wand on the keyhole and mumbled something inaudible. The door opened and Susan was pushed into a hallway. The door was closed again and she knew without a doubt that she would never walk through it again. The realization hit her hard. Settled in her stomach and made it hard for her to breathe. Still, Abby's panicked scream wouldn't leave her ears. Her mind. All she could see was the young girls bleeding nose-

"What will happen to Abby?", she asked, as Dolohov lifted his hood again. He just looked at her with a mixture of disinterest and annoyance.

"Who?"

"The girl I was with."

"I don't know. None of my business."

He led her through another door, into what looked like a living room, full of couches and toys. Something small and dark barrelled into him with force, "Daddy!"

Dolohov laughed and Susan could do nothing but stare at him in shock. Laughing. He was laughing. When all she wanted to do was crawl up in a hole and never come out again.

"Andrej!", Dolohov lifted the little boy up and swung him around twice, "Where are the others?"

Andrej just pointed his head and they walked through another door, into a big sitting room, it looked like people were eating lunch.

Lunch.

How could there be people eating lunch?

There was a chorus of excited voices calling their father and Susan feared she might finally be fainting. A heavily pregnant woman came up to her, pulled up a chair and pressed Susan down into it.

There was more talking. More children running around. Susan didn't really hear any of it. The woman was still standing in front of her. Her belly exactly up to Susan's eyes. It was moving, Susan realized. Or the child within was.

It was the most terrifying thing Susan had ever seen.

"Susan? That's your name, right? Can you hear me?"

"Mummy, why isn't she talking?"

"I am sure she is just tired, Doron."

"It's lunch."

Another voice. Softer. Calmer. "Okay, kids, everyone off to the living room now."

There was scuttle and noise, little feet moving in a hurry.

"Susan? I know it's been a long day, but I need you to listen to me know. Can you do that?"

Why did she keep talking? Susan didn't understand. She… she understood the words. She got their meaning. But somehow… somewhere between her ears and her brain, the information just got lost.

"Susan, my name is Agnes. I know this is really hard, I remember. But you will need to snap out of it."

Agnes kneeled down in front of Susan, her belly finally leaving Susan's line of sight and breaking the shocked stupor she'd been trapped in.

"Susan?"

"Yes."

"Welcome back.", Agnes smiled at her sadly, "I know this is hard, but… well, this has to be addressed, I fear. Ahm. We are three women living here with our kids. Ruth is with them now. Ava is getting your room ready, okay?"

"I don't want a room. I wanna go home."

"I know. But that's not going to happen."

"Someone is going to come for me."

"No one is coming here. No one but Antonin."

"No. I know they will. My family… they will come."

"Susan, I have been here for more than eleven years."

Susan felt tears run down her face.

"I was alone here for a long time. Well, besides the kids. You are not alone, okay? I am here. So is Ava and Ruth. We can help you. And we will. We are a family now."

"I have a family."

"No. Not anymore. They'll think you dead. You are now. To the rest of the world. I know it sounds harsh, but better you realize that now, before you keep up your hopes in vain. We are dead. We are not people. We are mothers now. That's all."

When Susan was nine her Aunt Amelia had died. Killed by You Know Who himself. She had cried. Her parents had cried. She had gone out into the garden and continued playing.

"It's so sad.", her mother had cried, "So sad that our poor children are surrounded by loss every day."

Susan had shrugged. It was normal to her. Her father had ruffled her hair and said: "It is amazing what we can get used to, if we have to survive."

For the past couple of months that day had been stuck in Susan's mind. She kept replaying that day over and over and over again.

 _It is amazing what we can get used to, if we have to survive._

Susan pulled the covers over her head, trying to sleep. Finally. She couldn't sleep on her belly anymore, like she normally did. Her pregnancy pretty effectively keeping her from that. Ruth's room was next to her and she could hear Antonin… being with her. Not even that really bothered her anymore.

 _It is amazing what we can get used to, if we have to survive._

There was a soft wailing sound from across the hall. Susan, long since used to all the children running around, recognized it as Elias, Ruth's youngest son. Carefully she got up and trotted over to the room Elias shared with Agnes' twins Julian and Lea, who had been born so shortly after her capture.

To her surprise she found Ava, pregnant much like her, already standing over the small crib, making soothing noises. Little Elias cooed up at her, his eyes wide open and awake.

"I don't think he is going back to sleep anytime soon.", Ava whispered and lifted him into her arms. "I better take him with me for now."

"That makes two of us.", Susan sighed and reflexively stroked the baby's soft head.

Ava nodded understandingly.

"You can come with me and Elias, if you like. He likes listening to people talking anyway. And I do feel like talking anyway."

Susan was so thankful, she could have kissed Ava. She always understood. They all did.

They hurried to Ava's room, placed Elias between them and propped up the pillows to lie more comfortably.

"Why can't you sleep?", Ava asked carefully, "Something I can do?"

"No. Somehow I can't find a comfortable position. What about you?"

Ava sighed. "I just… I worry. About Pawel."

"Pawel?", Susan asked, confused. Pawel was Agnes' oldest.

"He'll be turning six next week."

"I know.", Susan frowned, all the kid' birthdays were on a calendar in the kitchen.

"Susan… have you never wondered why Pawel is the oldest child around? He is only five. Just remember how long Agnes has been here."

Susan felt a cold shiver run down her spine.

"What?", there was panic in her voice now, she noticed.

"They take them away from us, when they turn six. For training. We never see them again."

"But… but… no. They can't…"

"Of course they can.", Ava spat out angrily, "Why not? We are nothing anyway. In six months it's gonna be Edith and Faith. They will just take them away from me. I got here just after Antonin took Toni away, Agnes' oldest. She was all alone then. He took Pawel and she was left with Sally, Dido and Edda. They are all gone now, too. Pawel was the first child born here after I arrived. And soon they will take him away, too."

Susan just stared at her wide-eyed. Pawel, dear, sweet, kind little Pawel.

"Training?", she breathed.

"That's what we are doing here, right? More soldiers for HIS army. They can't very well let us raise them, can they?"

Her voice was so bitter, so angry. Ava, who normally tried to take everything with a bit of humour.

Susan did a quick count in her head.

"Agnes has had nine children here?"

"Yes. That's what happens, if they pump you full of potions. I have two sets of twins."

"How… how do we survive this, Ava?"

"By just… going on."

Bill just… stared at Tino, laying on his chest. He couldn't… he didn't… what did you say to a story like this?

"Susan, I am so…"

"Don't say it. I don't want to hear it. Everyone is always sorry. I am tired of it. I don't want people to pity me. I want people to DO something."

"Did you find out what happened to Abby?", Bill asked instead, trying to work through all that information.

Susan sighed. "She was not on the list. But… I ask all the women I see. I hope I can find out the truth at some point. She… she was a 3rd year, you know? I found her parents."

"What about the kids? The older ones taken away?"

"They were found. It's all a bit complicated, isn't it? The ministry doesn't know what to do with them."

"What? Why? Just let the go back to their mothers!"

"They… Bill, the oldest are almost my age. They have… done terrible things already. The ministry promised leniency, if they should talk, but none of them will."

"Why not?"

"They see… they read about what is happening to Harry Potter. The papers are full of it. His trial. They… they talk about the dementor's kiss… life in Azkaban…"

"But that is different!", Bill almost shouted, "Wasn't he the man who gave you to Dolohov?"

"Man? He was 15, as I know now. The same age as Agnes' son. Is his situation really that different? The Dark Lord built an army on the backs of small children, taking them away from their families. Harry Potter… is he really the villain here? Or just one of the very first victims."


End file.
